The Penn's Grove record., 1887-07-30

JnaJ art, DuJ NOBODY could SWIM IN the
sand. Given a pond and young lady
falling into it. and he would have
plunged In the water with his boots on
and drawn her out, without thinking
anything of the occurrence. But here
they were, two miles from the picnic
ground in q place where 1t was not
likely any help could reach them, with
the raindrops already beginning to fall
and the consciousness that in an hour
or two the bed of the bayou might be
filled with the roaring, dashing torrent
of tawny water.
He lay on his breast with both arms
extended, hallooing with all his might,
holding to Fanny's wrists with the
grip Of a Vice. a peal of thunder
reverberated through the woods and the
lightning dlffused ~unearthly luminous
ness about the bayou.
"Let me CO." cried Fanny, 'tand get
some rails. L have heard that is the
only way to save people. Put them all
about me like a platform"
"For Gods sake NJ s. Fanny; don't
let go of my handl How can | leave
you In this terrible place for an instant?
No, l shall not leave you."
"But you must get the rails" said
the beautiful girl, 'or l am lost"
She was calm for one in her situa.
ton. She had heard that one way of
e%xtrIcation was by fInging the body
from side to side; but this action had
only accelerated her descent.
"Mr. Nichols, l command you to get
rails, branches of trees, anything to
put under my armsl Do you want to
see me dlsappear2 Something must be
done and at once" And Fanny began
to sob,
Nichols was the most perplexed man
in the world. During the whole terri
BILE time he could not help saying to
himself, ''If l can only get her out,
what a triumph it would bel She must
love me then" But he did not get her
out and he could not. His attitude
was painful. g~rotesque. The sand was
yielding to the pressure of his elbows
as he braced himself up to hold his fair
companion. He felt that he must
shift his position, or he would be sucked
down head foremost, down, down, v
to Miss Chenard's feet, in the relent-
less sand. Rather than both perish, it
was better to make an effort to get the
rails; but where could rails be found in
that wild vicinityP"
ado you think you can keep up while
I run to the woods and get branches
and rails?h
"Go at once" cried Fanny. "You
must do something. We are both going
downI''
Renwlck Nichols, with q superhuman
wrench, succeeded IN getting on frmer
ground, and sprang to the precipitous
bank of the bayou. There was a dense
canebrake there. lie took out his
knife and began cutting wildly at the
slender
"They won't do" moaned Fanny,
from her sandy grave.
1t began to rain In torrents. Nichols
was almost beside himself.
"Oh, my Godln moaned Fanny.
Renwlck shouted a despairiDg shout.
He tried to fling himself into the cant
brake to get up the bank. He ran
wildly along the edge to fad an OPEN
ing.
Fanny was still sinking, sinking.
My God, Stanwood, is this your"
cried Renwick Nichols, as with clothes
torn to shreds. dripping with water.
covered with sand, his face scratched
with briars, he emerged from the
brake at the top Of the bayou, and met
Stanwood and Irene running, painting
to the fatal spot.
Where is Fanny, oh, Mr.. Nichols,
whore is Fanny" cried Irene, who,
after her hasty trip through the woods
in the rain, looked like a drenched
angel strayed out of paradise.
down there in the quickstandl"
cried Nichols, as he seized Stanwood
by the arm, and they all three rushed
into the tortuous passage made by
Nichols In his painful ascent. Stan
wood, without a word, and with COM
pressed lips broke through every obsta-
Gle, and was in a moment on the sand
as zeal to Fanny IS he could get. He
took in the situation at a glance. HIS
sharp eye detected In the fading light
some old driftwood lodged on the side
of the bayou. They were heavy limbs
Of trees and logs. half buried in the
canes.
"Comeln he shouted to Nichols, in a
firm tone, as he cautioned the shrIeking
Irene against going in the vicinity of
her sister.
"Be patient, Miss Fanny, and it will
be all right he said, as he and Nichols
rolled the large trunk Of a fallen tree
towards her. Quickly and silently
Stanwood placed brush and timber on
each side of the partly buried girl, until
a platform of considerable height had
been raised. Then he and Nichols
stepped upon it, and taking Fanny
under her shoulders, working her back
ward and forward as n would a
stake, and the girl soon found herself
gradually DIR own from out her horrible
prison. In half an hour, and just as
the timber supports they had erected
were disappearing, they drew Fanny
out and bore her exhausted, almost
fainting, to the woods above, Irene fol-
lowing. wrlnging her hands and crying:
sob. she's Geadl She's deadi"
There's nothing to do I've to carry
her to the picnic ground" said Stan
wood. They've all gone home. OF
course, forgetting us, In their hurry TO
avoid the rain"
II can walk" said Fanny, feebly.
She looked like a ruined Venus oil
Medicl, and very evidently needed res
toratIon. Irene hung about her neck
weeping for very joy. Renwick Nichols
thought they had better move on. SO
Stanwood supported Fanny on his arm
and Nichols took charge Of Irene, and
the wet and ~bedraggled procession
began q forward movement for relief.
1t was dark aud raining in torrents,
and neither of the gentlemen had a
compass OF knew the bearings. They
CROPPED along, however, and there was
a prodigious amount Of talking IN wins.
pered tones; talking which was engen-
dered by the rather romantic surround
ingS and the events of the day, and
talking which was almost as pleasing
to them as If they were in party dress
and p~romenading brilliant parlors or
moonlit galleries and garden walks.
Fanny, my child, thank God you
we're not by yourself! That is the
most dangerous place on Sandy bayou.
God bless you. gentleman, for saving
my precious child"